October 2015

on the road again… | new mexico | roswell

October 30, 2015October 23, 2015 jaclyn michelleLeave a comment

The aliens are organized. And their headquarters is, obviously, in downtown Roswell.

Not quite equal parts legit museum and tourist trap (I'd say 75/25 in favor of museum), the International UFO Museum and Research Center tackles the Roswell incident at Area 51 from all angles, offering evidence for both believer and skeptics alike. — Not quite equal parts legit museum and tourist trap (I’d say 75/25 in favor of museum), the International UFO Museum and Research Center tackles the Roswell incident at Area 51 from all angles, offering evidence for both believer and skeptics alike.

One of the cooler features of the International UFO Museum and Research Center: life-size (??) grey aliens, complete with periodic bursts of smoke from a life-size (??) saucer.

Roswell 20 (1 of 1) — Wait…Bigfoot is an ALIEN?!?!?!?!?!?

Roswell 22 (1 of 1) — Yes. This is a reproduction of an alien autopsy. Complete with a Man in Black. I have no words.

Interesting business model. I wonder what brings in the most profit?

#non-earthlingmarriageequality #spaceloveislove

Even McDonald's is space-craft-shaped. — Even McDonald’s is space-craft-shaped.

Roswell 1 (1 of 1) — How cute is this little dude??? I watched him finish CROSSING THE HIGHWAY en route from Roswell to Hobbs yesterday. Turtle’s got balls. That could be either a metaphorical or literal statement. I didn’t attempt to gender the turtle. Seemed rude. We just met. Also, not really my business.

You'd think after living in Roswell and dealing with extraterrestrials, this turtle would be cool with me and my camera... — You’d think after living in Roswell and dealing with extraterrestrials, this turtle would be cool with me and my camera…

on the road again…| montana | grey cliff | prairie dog town state park

October 28, 2015October 21, 2015 jaclyn michelleLeave a comment

PDP 5 (1 of 1) — When I found out there was an entire town dedicated to prairie dogs within 45 min of where I was staying, you know I had to visit.

Prairie Dog Park 53 (1 of 1) — Ears on fleek.

Prairie dog contemplating the beauty of a Montana sunset... — Prairie dog contemplating the beauty of a Montana sunset…

Prairie Dog Town Greycliff 4 (1 of 1) — Prairie dogs signal to the members of their community that danger is near by barking and wagging their tails, while everyone else scurries into their burrows. Apparently, I’m dangerous.

These trees are terrifying... — These trees are terrifying…

Prairie Dog Park 50 (1 of 1) — Thank goodness for the zoom on my lens. Nope. Nope. NOPE.

on the road again…| montana | red lodge

October 26, 2015October 21, 2015 jaclyn michelle1 Comment

Red Lodge 11 (1 of 1) — The Montana Candy Emporium was AMAZING! Barrels upon barrels of every type of taffy you could imagine and the richest homemade fudge I’ve had in ages! The decor alone is reason enough to drop in…

Red Lodge 10 (1 of 1) — All candy stores should have a giant stuffed ostrich. #justsayin’

Red Lodge 58 (1 of 1) — Antique store in the front. Antique gun shop in the back. Never have I seen so many historic guns in one place (outside a museum). But I opted for a sunbleached elk antler for my coffee table, not a Winchester…that’s a type of gun, right? Did I just drop an accurate gun reference?? The west is rubbing off on me 🙂

Red Lodge 56 (1 of 1) — Nothing says Christmas spirit like expressive taxidermy. The dude on the left is into it. So is the pipe-smoking dog.

Red Lodge 34 (1 of 1) — Apparently, the older the bison skull, the more expensive. I’ve seen them sold on the street in Santa Fe for $25-45…but I’m guessing those weren’t from historic, antique bison 😉

on the road again…| new mexico | las cruces | white sands national monument

October 23, 2015October 21, 2015 jaclyn michelleLeave a comment

I had a chance after my flight to El Paso to check out the White Sands National Monument en route to the hotel (after 4+ hours on a plane, I really needed to walk). I arrived just as a storm was rolling in from the west...thank goodness for continuous shooting mode. — I had a chance, after my flight to El Paso, to check out the White Sands National Monument en route to the hotel (after 4+ hours on a plane, I really needed to walk). I arrived just as a storm was rolling in from the west…thank goodness for continuous shooting mode.

on the road again…| montana | benton lake wildlife refuge

October 21, 2015October 20, 2015 jaclyn michelleLeave a comment

Back in August, I visited Montana and spent an hour at the Benton Lake Wildlife Refuge outside of Great Falls.

I picked up a hitchhiker. Kudos to the staff at National car rental at Great Falls airport. Without the amazing job you did on this windshield, this shot would not have been possible. — Kudos to the staff at National car rental at Great Falls airport. Without the amazing job they did on this windshield, this shot would not have been possible.

Or this shot. I swear, I spent more time this weekend rescuing crickets trapped in my car... — Or this shot. I swear, I spent more time this weekend rescuing crickets trapped in my car…

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that these birds are well-fed. — I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that these birds are well-fed.

on the road again…| new mexico | albuquerque | boca negra canyon, petroglyph national monument

October 19, 2015October 20, 2015 jaclyn michelleLeave a comment

One of the signs along the trail reads that “[s]ome Pueblo elders believe that the petroglyphs choose when and to whom to reveal themselves to.”

Petroglyph Park Boca Negra Canyon 1 (1 of 1)

Let's play Petroglyph Pictionary: I see a wild turkey chasing a man in a top hat. Thoughts? — The original meaning of many of the petroglyphs have been lost to time, so they’re open to interpretation. It’s like Petroglyph Pictionary: I see a wild turkey chasing a man in a top hat carrying a large pot…

And this one is clearly Lady Gaga surrounded by moon men alongside their starship.

And here's an angry crab sneaking up on a dapper gentleman in suspenders. — And here’s an angry crab sneaking up on a dapper gentleman in suspenders. Nailed it.

And I was in heels. No one is surprised.

Boca Negra Canyon 91 (1 of 1) — I cannot emphasize enough how happy I was to NOT see any snakes.

on the road again…| montana | great falls

October 12, 2015October 9, 2015 jaclyn michelle1 Comment

I'm assuming they're referring to the legal kind... — I’m assuming they’re referring to the legal kind…

Fun fact: there are tons of vintage/antique stores in Montana. Another notable Montanan business model: the casino combo. Some popular iterations:

the gas station / casino
the restaurant / lounge / casino
the liquor store / casino
the taxidermist / casino
the laundromat / casino
the feed store / casino

Yup. “Put a casino in it” is the Montanan version of Portland’s “put a bird on it.”

I promise I didn’t add any filters to these pics. I was in Great Falls toward the end of August, during that last spate of wildfires. Not only did it smell as if someone was burning leaves IN my hotel room, but the sky took on this brown-ish/orangey smoky tinge. It gave the entire area an eerie ambiance.

home sweet home | new york city | manhattan

October 5, 2015October 5, 2015 jaclyn michelleLeave a comment

The last weekend in September, I had a chance to spend four days back in my adopted hometown of NYC for Andrew & Phil’s wedding (#lifetimeofhoneymoons), and I totally took advantage of the opportunity to play tourist.

The view from my hotel room. Not bad, Home2 Suites in Astoria. Not bad at all.

Mr. Brainwash's Albert Einstein/ "Love is the Answer" as seen from the High Line — Mr. Brainwash’s Albert Einstein/ “Love is the Answer” as seen from the High Line

Of course my favorite wine bar would open an outpost on the High Line AFTER I move to Seattle... — Of course my favorite wine bar would open an outpost on the High Line AFTER I move to Seattle…

home sweet home | washington | seattle | waterfront

October 2, 2015September 26, 2015 jaclyn michelleLeave a comment

A couple weekends ago, one of my favorite aunts flew out to Washington early for a conference in Spokane to spend some time with me in Seattle. It was so much fun to play tourist with her for a weekend! I travel so much for work that when I’m home, I tend to crash…spending time exploring my new(ish) hometown was a much needed reminder of why I relocated.

This is the creepiest Samy Davis Jr and Frank Sinatra have EVER looked. Period. Full stop.

One of these days I'll actually ride this thing... — One of these days I’ll actually ride this thing…

Yes. This is a three-headed duckling. For sale. #onlyinSeattle #ormaybealsoinPortland

I had my fortune told... — I had my fortune told…